Coil-starting device



Oct. 1, 1963 Filed Nov. 6, 1961 To Drive lg R. w. NEUPERT COIL-STARTINGDEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR RAY 59. NE PERT Attorney United StatesPatent 3,105,649 COIL-STARTWG DEVICE Raymond W. Neupert, East Gary, Ind,assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New JerseyFiled Nov. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 159,550 8 Claims. (Cl. 242--78.8)

This invention relates to an improved device for starting a coil ofmetal strip into a processing line.

A conventional line for processing metal strip (for example a continuousannealing line) includes an uncoiling mandrel and a set of pinch rollsat the entry end of the line. A coil of metal strip is placed on thismandrel and the leading end of the strip threaded through the pinchrolls and thence through other equipment in the line. At least one ofthe pinch rolls is power driven to unwind the strip from the mandrel andfeed it. Various mechanical devices are known for starting the leadingend through the pinch rolls, but none of these devices with which I amfamiliar have been entirely satisfactory, and starting is usually amanual operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcoil-starting device which threads the leading end of a strip throughpinch rolls at the entry end of a processing line without damaging thestrip, yet overcomes the need for manually handling the strip.

A further object is to provide an improved coil-starting device whichincludes a magnetic conveyor driven by one of the pinch rolls forcarrying the leading end of a strip into the bite of the rolls.

A further object is to provide a coil-starting device of the foregoingconstruction in which the magnetic conveyor automatically adjusts itsposition for coils of different size, or the conveyor can be supportedwhere it is out of the way when not needed.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which isshown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away of the entryportion of a strip processing line equipped with my improved coilstarting device;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device with parts broken away; and

FIGURE 3 is a cross section on line IIIIII of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 1 shows the entry portion of a conventional strip processing linewhich includes an uncoiling mandrel 10, upper and lower pinch rolls 12and 13, and opposed housings 14 for these rolls. The upper pinch roll 12has a drive mechanism indicated schematically at 15, and it can beraised and lowered by suitable mechanism not shown. A coil C of stripmetal is placed on the mandrel and its leading end threaded between thepinch rolls and thence into the other equipment in the line. My devicefor starting the strip through the pinch rolls comprises essentially asupporting bracket 16 fixed to roll housings 14, a magnetic conveyor 17pivotally supported to swing on the axis of the upper pinch roll 12 anddriven thereby, and fluid pressure cylinders 18 and cooperating pistonsand piston rods 19 which connect bracket 16 and conveyor 17 forpositioning the latter.

In more detail, bracket 16 includes a fabricated metal framework boltedto the top of housings 14 and overhanging the entry side of the housingsa substantial distance and the exit side a shorter distance. I connecttie rods 20 between the overhang at the exit side and the base on whichhousings 14 rest to reinforce the structure. Two spaced pairs oftrunnion bearings 21 are mounted on the bracket framework on the entryside of the housings, and cylinders 18 are pivoted in these bearings ona common horizontal axis. A shaft 22 is journaled in the bracketframework adjacent its extremity on the entry side of the housing andcarries hooks 23 keyed to its opposite ends outside the framework and 1an operating lever 24 keyed to its intermediate portion. A shortersecond shaft 25 is journaled in the bracket framework adjacent one ofthe housings 14 and carries a handle 26 keyed to the end outside theframework and an operating lever 27 keyed to its other end aligned withlever 24. A link 28 is pivoted at its ends to the two operating levers.Hooks 23 can engage lugs 29 fixed to the sides of conveyor 17 to latchthe conveyor in a raised position where it is out of the way when not inuse. I operate handle 26 to move the books into engagement ordisengagement with the lugs. A latch 30 is fixed to the side of theadjacent housing 14 to retain the handle in its dilferent positions.

Conveyor 17 includes a box-like frame formed of opposed side rails 35and a series of transverse rails 36 connecting the side rails. Opposedbearing brackets 37 are fixed to the inner ends of the side railsadjacent the pinch rolls 12 and 13 and are journaled to the shaft of theupper pinch roll 12. Extensions 38 are mounted on the other ends of theside rails for sliding adjustment with respect thereto. The mountingmeans illustrated includes a series of studs 33 extending from the siderails and received in slots 40 in the extensions, lugs 41 fixed to theside rails, and screws 42 threadedly engaged with the lugs and bearingagainst the ends of the extensions. An idler roll 43 is journaled in theextensions, and an endless flexible belt 44 extends around the upperpinch roll 12 and roll 43 to be driven by the upper pinch roll.Preferably rolls 12 and 43 are crowned to assure that the belt tracksproperly. Extensions 38 have integral downwardly inclined brackets 45 inwhich I mount opposed bearings 46. A transverse idler shaft 47 isjournaled in these bearings and carries one or more rubber-tired wheels48. The side rails 35 also carry lugs 29, hereinbefore mentioned, andpins 49 to which the piston rods 19 are pivoted.

The conveyor frame houses a series of magnets 50. I have illustratedpermanent magnets arranged in four rows of nineteen magnets each, whichrows extend lengthwise of the conveyor, but obviously the type andarrangement of magnets is a matter of choice subject to wide variation.I have shown the magnets of each row mounted on pole plates, each ofwhich includes continuous strips 51 of magnetic material and a sectionalintermediate strip 52 of non-magnetic material (for example stainlesssteel) separating the first named strips and tackwelded thereto. Iattach the pole plates to the transverse rails 36 of the conveyor framewith angle irons 53 bolted to the rails and strips 51 (FIGURE 3). Iattach the magnets to the pole plates with clips 54 which engageshoulders on the magnets and are bolted to strips 52. The underside ofthe conveyor frame beneath the magnets carries an apron plate 55, andthe top carries cover plates 56.

In operation, the upper pinch roll 12 normally occupies a raisedposition in which belt 44 is spaced above the lower pinch roll 13, whilehooks 23 engage lugs 29 to latch conveyor 17 in a raised position. WhenI wish to start a coil C into the processing line, I place the coil onmandrel 10 in the usual way and free its leading end. I move handle 26to disengage hooks 23 from lugs 29 and I operate cylinders 18 to lowerthe conveyor until the rubber-tired Wheels 48' abut the coil, thusautomatically positioning the conveyor regardless of variations in thecoil size. The cylinders of course are equipped with conventionalconnections and controls for admitting and discharging a motivatingfluid, but I have omitted these ,Which feed it into the other equipmentin the line.

items from my showing in the interest of simplicity. I also lower theupper pinch roll 12 to a position in which belt 44 engages the lowerpinch roll 13 land I commence to drive the upper pinch roll and belt.When wheels 48 abut the coil, belt 44 clears the coil but issufiiciently close that the magnets can attract the leading end of thestrip into engagement therewith. Thus the conveyor carries the leadingend of the strip into the bite of the pinch rolls After the strip hasmoved into the line, other mechanism not shown propels the strip throughthe equipment, whereupon I return the conveyor and upper pinch roll totheir original positions.

From the fore-going description it is seen that my invention afiords asimple, easily operated device for starting a coil of strip metal into aprocessing line and overcoming the need for manually handling the strip.The device carries the strip only by magnetic attraction through aflexible belt, and the wheels at the end of the conveyor prevent directengagement between the :belt and the body of the coil. Thus there is nolikelihood of damage, either to the coil or the device itself.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of myinvention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I donot wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scopeof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a line for processing metal strip, which line includes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the strip through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a magnetic conveyor, and means pivotallymounting said conveyor to swing on the axis of said upper pinch roll,said conveyor being adapted to engage the strip in a coil supported onsaid mandrel to carry the leading end of the strip into the bite of saidpinch rolls.

2. In a line for processing metal strip, which line includes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch :roll are jornaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the strip through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a magnetic conveyor, means pivotallymounting said conveyor to swing on the axis of said upper pinch roll,said conveyor being drivin-gly connected to said upper pinch roll andadapted when lowered to engage the strip in a coil supported on saidmandrel to carry the leading end of the strip into the bite of saidpinch rolls, and means carried by said housings for supporting saidconveyor in a raised position where it is out of the way when not inuse.

3. In a line for processing metal strip, which line includes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the strip through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a conveyor frame mounted !at one end toswing on the axis of said upper pinch roll, a roll journaled to saidframe adjacent the other end thereof, an endless flexible belt extendingaround said upper pinch roll and said last named roll to be driven withsaid upper pinch roll, and magnets housed within said frame, said framehaving a position in which said belt can engage the strip in a coilsupported on said mandrel to carry the leading end of the strip into thebite of said pinch rolls.

4. In a line for processing metal strip, which line in eludes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the strip through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a conveyor frame pivoted at one end tosaid upper pinch roll to swing on the axis thereof, an idler rolljournaled to said frame adjacent the other end thereof, an endlessflexible belt extending around said upper pinch roll and said idler rollto be driven with said upper pinch roll, magnets housed within saidframe, said frame having a lowered position in which said belt canengage the strip in a coil supported on said mandrel to carry theleading end of the strip into the bite of said pinch rolls, saidframealso having a raised position in which it is out of the way when not inuse, and motive means supported by said housings and connected to saidframe for swinging said frame between its raised and lowered positions.

5. In a line for processing metal strip, which line includes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the strip through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a conveyor frame pivoted at one end tosaid upper pinch roll to swing on the axis thereof, tan idler rolljournaled to said frame adjacent the "other end thereof, an endless 7flexible belt extending around said upper pinch roll and said idler rollto be driven with said upper pinch roll,

magnets housed within said frame, a wheel mounted on said frame at theend beyond said idler roll, said frame having a lowered position inwhich said wheel can abut a coil supported on said mandrel and said beltcan en-- gage the strip to carry the leading end of the strip into thebite of said pinch rolls, said frame also having a raised position inwhich it is out of the way when not in use, and motive means supportedby said housings and connected to said frame for swinging said framebetween its raised and lowered positions.

6. In a line for processing metal strip, which line in-. cludes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the strip through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a magnetic conveyor, means pivotallymounting said conveyor to swing on the axis of said upper pinch roll,said conveyor being drivingly connected to said upper pinch roll andhaving a lowered position in which it can engage the strip in a coilsupported on said mandrel to carry the leading end of the strip into thebite of said pinch 7. In a line for processing metal strip, which lineineludes at its entry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinchrolls for feeding stri from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposedhousings in which said pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanismoperatively connected with said upper pinch rolis, the combinationtherewith of a device for starting the leading end of the} strip throughsaid pinch rolls, said device comprising a conveyor frame mounted at oneend to swing on the axis of said upper pinch roll, a roll journaled tosaid frame ad-v jacent the other end thereof, an endless flexible beltextending around said upper pinch roll and said last named roll to bedriven with said upper pinch roll, magnets housed within said frame,said frame having a lowered position in which said belt can engage thestrip in a coil supported on said mandrel to carry the leading end ofthe strip into the bite of said pinch rolls, said frame also having araised position in which it is out of the way when not in use, a bracketfixed to the top of said housings, motive means connected to saidbracket and frame for swinging said frame between its raised and loweredpositions, and means for latching said frame to said. bracket when saidframe is in its raised position.

8. In a line for processing metal strip, which line includes at itsentry end an uncoiling mandrel, upper and lower pinch rolls for feedingstrip from a coil supported on said mandrel, opposed housings in whichsaid pinch rolls are journaled, and a drive mechanism operativelyconnected with said upper pinch roll, the combination therewith of adevice for starting the leading end of the stri through said pinchrolls, said device comprising a conveyor frame pivoted at one end tosaid upper pinch roll to swing on the axis thereof, an idler rolljournaled to said frame adjacent the other end thereof, an endlessflexible helt extending around said upper pinch roll and said idler rollto be driven With said upper pinch roll, magnets housed within saidframe, a wheel mounted on said frame at the end beyond said idler roll,said frame having a lowered position in which said wheel can abut a coilsupported on said mandrel and said belt can engage the strip to carrythe leading end of the stri into the bite of said pinch rolls, saidframe also having a raised position in which it is out of the way whennot in use, a bracket fixed to the top of said housings, fluid pressurecylinders and pistons connected to said bracket and frame for swingingsaid frame between its raised and lowered positons, and means forlatching said frame to said bracket when said frame is in its raisedposition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,124,673 Stone Jan. 12, 1915 2,041,235 Darbaker May 19, 1936 2,852,252Sperry Sept. 16, 1958 2,881,901 Zimmer Apr. 14, 1959

1. IN A LINE FOR PROCESSING METAL STRIP, WHICH LINE INCLUDES AT ITSENTRY END AN UNCOILING MANDREL, UPPER AND LOWER PINCH ROLLS FOR FEEDINGSTRIP FROM A COIL SUPPORTED ON SAID MANDREL, OPPOSED HOUSINGS IN WHICHSAID PINCH ROLLS ARE JOURNALED, AND A DRIVE MECHANISM OPERATIVELYCONNECTED WITH SAID UPPER PINCH ROLL, THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF ADEVICE FOR STARTING THE LEADING END OF THE STRIP THROUGH SAID PINCHROLLS, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A MAGNETIC CONVEYOR, AND MEANS PIVOTALLYMOUNTING SAID CONVEYOR TO SWING ON THE AXIS OF SAID UPPER PINCH ROLL,SAID CONVEYOR BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE STRIP IN A COIL SUPPORTED ONSAID MANDREL TO CARRY THE LEADING END OF THE STRIP INTO THE BITE OF SAIDPINCH ROLLS.